Last Tango in Paris
Bertolucci’s masterpiece is also a film that suffers from constant misreading because most articles about it focus solely on its erotic aspects while the scandal that accompanied its premiere has disfigured its interpretation. In reality, this is no love story or tale of ephemeral romance but a bitter account of spiritual exhibitionism. Sex is not the goal but the means; for Paula and Jeanne it seems the only palpable unwavering thing in a slowly decomposing world losing its cultural identity. Bertolucci takes the intellectual revolution of the 1960s and 70s to account and reaches unsettling conclusions.
Bernando Bertolucci
Bernardo Bertolucciwas once a promising poet, but began his film career while still in college aside Pasolini; he quickly made his debut with The Grim Reaper (1961). Bertolucci’sfirst Oscar nomination came in 1970 for The Conformist, but heattained international acclaim in 1972 with the scandalizing Last Tango in Paris. Bertolucci’s films have continued to achieve critical success – The Last Emperor garnered nine Academy Awards.
Selected filmography
1970 Konformista / Ill Conformista / The Conformist
1972 Ostatnie tango w Paryżu / Ultimo tango a Parigi / Last Tango in Paris
1987 Ostatni cesarz / The Last Emperor
1993 Mały Budda / Little Buddha
1996 Ukryte pragnienia / Stealing Beauty
2003 Marzyciele / The Dreamers